Trampoline Frame

ABSTRACT

A trampoline has a frame. A bed is suspended across the frame. The frame includes a horizontally oriented bed frame for suspending the bed. Frame legs are attached to the frame for supporting the frame above a ground surface. An enclosure includes a net suspended from an enclosure frame. Enclosure poles are mounted to the trampoline around a periphery of the bed. The enclosure poles extend upwardly. The enclosure poles are branched at a lower diagonal connection to form a first lower branch and a second lower branch that branch away from each other at a diagonal angle as they extend upwardly. The first lower branch is connected to a first upper branch. The second lower branch is connected to a second upper branch. The first upper branch and the second upper branch toward each other at a diagonal angle as they extend upwardly.

This application claims priority from earlier filed United States design Pat. No. 29/582,229 filed Oct. 26, 2016 also entitled Trampoline Frame by same inventor Samuel Chen, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of trampoline enclosures.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

A variety of different trampolines have trampoline frames that are connected to enclosures. The enclosures contain a user within the trampoline bounding area with a net. A variety of different trampoline have a bounding area. The enclosures have a net and the net is supported by trampoline poles. The trampoline poles are typically vertical or arc-shaped members. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,845 entitled Trampoline Or The Like With Enclosure to inventor Publicover was issued Apr. 25, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and provides for a trampoline enclosure with flexible vertical poles configured to flex inwardly to absorb force. The same inventor Publicover also describes cross bracing straps 144 in United States patent publication 20040121883 entitled Trampoline System, issued Jun. 24, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A trampoline has a frame. A bed is suspended across the frame. The frame includes a horizontally oriented bed frame for suspending the bed. Frame legs are attached to the frame for supporting the frame above a ground surface. An enclosure includes a net suspended from an enclosure frame. Enclosure poles are mounted to the trampoline around a periphery of the bed. The enclosure poles extend upwardly. The enclosure poles are branched at a lower diagonal connection to form a first lower branch and a second lower branch that branch away from each other at a diagonal angle as they extend upwardly. The first lower branch is connected to a first upper branch. The second lower branch is connected to a second upper branch. The first upper branch and the second upper branch toward each other at a diagonal angle as they extend upwardly. The present invention lacks vertically oriented enclosure poles and instead has diagonally oriented enclosure poles.

Each enclosure pole is connected to an adjacent enclosure pole at a first diagonal connection joint wherein the first lower branch is connected to a right adjacent enclosure pole to the right of the first lower branch. The second lower branch is connected at a second diagonal connection joint. The second lower branch is connected to a left adjacent enclosure pole to the left of the first lower branch. The frame leg connector bridge connects between frame legs. An upper enclosure loop is connected to the enclosure poles at loop connectors. Each of the loop connectors connect to the first upper branch and the second upper branch at a loop connector joint, and the first upper branch and the second upper branch are angled apart from each other at a diagonal angle, meaning that they are not parallel or perpendicular to each other.

A kite shaped middle enclosure opening is formed between the first lower branch, the second lower branch, the first upper branch, and the second upper branch. An upper enclosure opening is defined between an upper enclosure loop, the first upper branch and the second upper branch. A lower enclosure opening is defined between a first lower branch and a second lower branch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view.

FIG. 2 is a front view.

FIG. 3 is a rear view.

FIG. 4 is a left side view.

FIG. 5 is a right side view.

FIG. 6 is a top view.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view.

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view.

The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide for referencing the element numbers of the drawings.

-   12 Upper Enclosure Loop -   13 Loop Connector Extension -   14 Loop Connector -   16 Upper Diagonal Member -   17 Cross Brace Cover -   18 Lower Diagonal Member -   19 Diagonal Connection Joint -   20 Bed Frame -   21 Horizontal Member -   22 Frame Leg -   23 Frame Leg Connector Bridge -   24 Leg Junction -   25 Leg Junction Cover -   26 Leg Vertical Section -   27 Leg Horizontal Section -   30 Enclosure Frame -   31 Upper Diagonal Connection -   32 Middle Diagonal Connection -   33 Lower Diagonal Connection -   34 Upper Enclosure Opening -   35 Middle Enclosure Opening -   36 Lower Enclosure Opening -   41 Lower Pad -   42 Upper Pad -   43 Handle Strap -   51 Bed -   52 Net -   60 Enclosure Pole -   61 First Lower Branch -   62 Second Lower Branch -   63 First Upper Branch -   64 Second Upper Branch -   65 Enclosure Pole Lower Vertical Section -   66 Enclosure Pole Upper Vertical Section

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The upper enclosure loop 12 supports a net 52. The net 52 secures the user within the bounds of the trampoline bed. The net 52 surrounds the trampoline bed 51. The bed 51 is supported across a bed frame 20 by springs such as helical springs. The bed 51 provides a surface for a user to rebound upon. The enclosure 30 encloses the user within the enclosure area. The upper enclosure loop 12 is connected to a loop connector extension 13. The loop connector extension 13 can be formed as a vertically oriented tube that supports a loop connector 14. The loop connector 14 can have a slot for receiving the upper enclosure loop 12. The upper enclosure loop 12 can be made of a spring steel loop or hoop formed in bolted together sections. The loop connector 14 is preferably a metal member, but could be made of high-density plastic as well.

To enter the enclosure 30, a user can enter through an entrance area bounded by a pair of handles straps 43. The entrance area can be a cutout of a trampoline pad system. The trampoline pad system can have a lower pad 41 angled with an upper pad 42. Both can be shock absorbing padded expanded foam members, or can be formed as thin sheets.

The present invention has an enclosure structure that is different from the prior art because the enclosure poles diagonally branch. The loop connector 14 is connected to the lower loop extension 13. The lower loop extension 13 is connected to the upper diagonal member 16 at a loop connector joint 15 and the upper diagonal member 16 is connected to the lower diagonal member 18 at a diagonal connection joint 19. A plastic injection molded cover, or a stamped metal sheet can form a cross brace cover 17 to cover the diagonal connection joint 19.

The enclosure poles can be formed in long sections that include the upper diagonal member 16 and the lower diagonal member 18 formed as a single tubular steel member. The tubular steel member is connected to the bed frame 20 preferably in a rigid connection. The bed frame 20 includes horizontal members 21 that are arc shaped tubular steel members that interconnect with each other. The horizontal members 21 connect to frame legs 22.

The frame legs 22 have a leg vertical section 26 and a leg horizontal section 27, and the leg vertical sections 26 can be connected to each other at a frame leg connector bridge 23. The frame leg connector bridge 23 connects adjacent leg vertical sections 26 of adjacent frame legs 22. The frame legs 22 can be made of a bent U-shaped tubular steel member that connects to leg junctions 24 form the sockets. The leg junctions 24 can be screwed to the tubular portion of the frame legs 22 with self tapping metal screws. The leg junctions 24 are preferably welded tubular steel members. The leg horizontal sections 27 support the leg above the ground and the leg supports the frame above the ground. The frame leg 22 has a pair of leg vertical sections 26 that both connect to leg junctions 24. The leg junction 24 can be covered by a leg junction cover 25 which could be formed by a steel sheet or a plastic injection molded member. The frame leg vertical sections 26 can receive enclosure poles 60. The enclosure poles 60 can begin at an enclosure pole lower vertical section 65 that is connected to the frame leg vertical section 26.

The enclosure frame 30 is formed of interconnected enclosure poles 60. Typical enclosure poles 60 extend upwardly in a generally vertical fashion from the lower diagonal connection 31, but in the present invention, the enclosure poles 60 branch from an enclosure pole lower vertical section 65 that is connected to the leg junction 24 near the upper portion of the leg vertical section 26. The enclosure poles 60 could also be connected to the bed frame 20 at the horizontal member 21, or at the leg junction 24. The branch of the enclosure poles 60 extend outwardly in a diagonal angle from the first lower branch 61 and the second lower branch 62. The pair of lower branches extend outwardly in an upward direction until they join with the diagonal connection joints 19 at the middle diagonal connection 32. Then, the pair of lower branches continue as a first upper branch 63 and a second upper branch 64. The first upper branch 63 is formed of a tubular steel member that is preferably made of a different piece of steel than the first lower branch 51. Similarly, the second upper branch 64 is preferably made of a different piece of steel than the second lower branch 62.

The first upper branch 63 and the second upper branch 64 converge at an upper diagonal connection 31. The diagonal branching of the enclosure poles segments the enclosure 30 into a cylindrical wall having openings, namely an upper enclosure opening 34, a middle enclosure opening 35, and a lower enclosure opening 36. The upper enclosure opening 34 is a triangular shaped opening. The middle enclosure opening 35 is a diagonal shaped opening. The lower enclosure opening 36 is a triangular shaped opening. Preferably, the enclosure wall can be made of long metal tubes that overlie each other and can be bolted together at the diagonal connection joints. If so, the lower enclosure opening 32 would have asymmetrical shape with the upper enclosure opening 34.

Alternatively, the enclosure pole lower vertical section 65 can be formed with a pair of sockets for receiving the first lower branch 51 and the second lower branch 62. Similarly, the enclosure pole upper vertical section 66 can be formed with a pair of sockets for receiving the first upper branch 63 and the second upper branch 64. The angle of the poles should be uniform and the middle enclosure opening 35 is preferably a geometric kite shape. The middle diagonal connection 32 is preferably higher than a midpoint between the lower diagonal connection 33 and the upper diagonal connection 31. The diagonal angle between members means that the members are not parallel or perpendicular to each other. 

1. A trampoline comprising: a. a frame; b. a bed suspended across the frame, wherein the frame includes a horizontally oriented bed frame for suspending the bed; c. frame legs attached to the frame for supporting the frame above a ground surface; d. an enclosure including a net suspended from an enclosure frame; and e. enclosure poles mounted to the trampoline around a periphery of the bed, wherein the enclosure poles extend upwardly, wherein the enclosure poles are branched at a lower diagonal connection to form a first lower branch and a second lower branch that branch away from each other at a diagonal angle as they extend upwardly, wherein the first lower branch is connected to a first upper branch, and wherein the second lower branch is connected to a second upper branch, wherein the first upper branch and the second upper branch toward each other at a diagonal angle as they extend upwardly.
 2. The trampoline of claim 1, further comprising: a frame leg connector bridge connecting between frame legs.
 3. The trampoline of claim 1, further comprising: an upper enclosure loop connected to the enclosure poles at loop connectors, wherein each of the loop connectors connect to the first upper branch and the second upper branch at a loop connector joint, wherein the first upper branch and the second upper branch are angled apart from each other at a diagonal angle, meaning that they are not parallel or perpendicular to each other.
 4. The trampoline of claim 1, further comprising: a kite shaped middle enclosure opening formed between the first lower branch, the second lower branch, the first upper branch, and the second upper branch.
 5. The trampoline of claim 1, further comprising: an upper enclosure opening, wherein the upper enclosure opening is defined between an upper enclosure loop, the first upper branch and the second upper branch.
 6. The trampoline of claim 1, further comprising: a lower enclosure opening, wherein the lower enclosure opening is defined between a first lower branch and a second lower branch.
 7. The trampoline of claim 1, further comprising: an upper enclosure loop connected to the enclosure poles at loop connectors, wherein each of the loop connectors connect to the first upper branch and the second upper branch at a loop connector joint, wherein the first upper branch and the second upper branch are angled apart from each other at a diagonal angle, meaning that they are not parallel or perpendicular to each other; and further comprising a kite shaped middle enclosure opening formed between the first lower branch, the second lower branch, the first upper branch, and the second upper branch.
 8. The trampoline of claim 1, further comprising: an upper enclosure opening, wherein the upper enclosure opening is defined between an upper enclosure loop, the first upper branch and the second upper branch; and further comprising a lower enclosure opening, wherein the lower enclosure opening is defined between a first lower branch and a second lower branch.
 9. A trampoline comprising: a. a frame; b. a bed suspended across the frame, wherein the frame includes a horizontally oriented bed frame for suspending the bed; c. frame legs attached to the frame for supporting the frame above a ground surface; d. an enclosure including a net suspended from an enclosure frame; and e. enclosure poles mounted to the trampoline around a periphery of the bed, wherein the enclosure poles extend upwardly, wherein the enclosure poles are branched at a lower diagonal connection to form a first lower branch and a second lower branch that branch away from each other at a diagonal angle as they extend upwardly, wherein each enclosure pole is connected to an adjacent enclosure pole at a first diagonal connection joint wherein the first lower branch is connected to a right adjacent enclosure pole to the right of the first lower branch, and wherein the second lower branch is connected at a second diagonal connection joint wherein the second lower branch is connected to a left adjacent enclosure pole to the left of the first lower branch.
 10. The trampoline of claim 9, further comprising: a frame leg connector bridge connecting between frame legs.
 11. The trampoline of claim 9, further comprising: an upper enclosure loop connected to the enclosure poles at loop connectors, wherein each of the loop connectors connect to the first upper branch and the second upper branch at a loop connector joint, wherein the first upper branch and the second upper branch are angled apart from each other at a diagonal angle, meaning that they are not parallel or perpendicular to each other.
 12. The trampoline of claim 9, further comprising: a kite shaped middle enclosure opening formed between the first lower branch, the second lower branch, the first upper branch, and the second upper branch.
 13. The trampoline of claim 12, further comprising: an upper enclosure opening, wherein the upper enclosure opening is defined between an upper enclosure loop, the first upper branch and the second upper branch.
 14. The trampoline of claim 12, further comprising: a lower enclosure opening, wherein the lower enclosure opening is defined between a first lower branch and a second lower branch. 